


Good Intentions

by RighteousNerd



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Philinda - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 00:36:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1837915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RighteousNerd/pseuds/RighteousNerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye has some questions for May.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Intentions

Skye is already waiting for her when she comes down for tai chi. Usually nothing short of gunfire can throw off May's routine, but then she's never had Phil's morning enthusiasm to contend with. Cuddling is foreign to her, but she revels in the kisses that follow. She smiles, beginning her stance. Skye is quiet next to her, her brown eyes thoughtful and intent. She's watching her for more than instruction, but whatever is on her mind, she keeps it to herself and May loses herself in the movements.

Skye is staring at her during breakfast. Simmons has made pancakes, a team favorite, and Fitz and Trip argue between bites. Or rather Fitz argues and Trip humors him. May can feel Skye's eyes on her but before she can ask, Phil hands across her tea. They both smile unabashedly when their fingers brush around the mug. May doesn't think much of it, Phil's always been a smiler, but she also doesn't miss the way the younger woman's eyes narrow across from her either.

She is waiting for May in the cockpit later that afternoon. Auto pilot had been engaged so that she could grab a quick lunch in Phil's office. Grinning, May had stolen fries from his plate. He had laughed, leaning across his desk to desk to kiss her. It had been blissful in the nicest way possible, something she is quickly getting used to it.

May slips easily into the pilot's seat, disengaging auto pilot and returning the plane's control back into her skilled hands. The quiet is unnerving coming from the normally chatty Skye and May fights the sudden inexplicable urge to squirm in her seat. Melinda May does not squirm but she does meet challenges head on. Her eyes slide over to the woman at her side.

"You're staring."

"I am." Skye meets her gaze calmly and coolly.

"Why?"

"I think it's time you and I discuss your intentions."

"You're doubting my loyalty? After everything?" May doesn't know what she was expecting, but it wasn't that. She's not prepared for the sting of it.

"Not your loyalties, Agent May. Your intentions." Her confusion must be evident, because Skye raises an eyebrow. "Towards Coulson."

Oh. 

"I've got his back." Which is true, whatever else is between them, she's always got his back.

"That's not all you've got." Skye snorts. "Don't bother denying it, either. I saw the two of you."

"Where?"

"Yesterday at the gym," Skye says.

May winces. Their friendly sparring match had gotten a little too friendly. They had actually thought themselves discrete, although now that seems to have been an overestimation. 

"And last week," the hacker continues. "I could have sworn I saw you guys holding hands... Not to mention there's an awful lot of smiling. Like a lot of smiling."

"I see."

"Is it just-" Skye pauses, and May wonders again what it is with these kids and saying the word. "Sex? Or are you, like, in love?"

May knows it isn't just sex, she knows it. They came together to heal and to mend. They've always been stronger, better when they're together. But love?

"Look," Skye clarifies. "He's the closest thing I have to a father and you, well, you've kind of got some major man eater vibes... I mean, what with Ward and all."

"Ward was a mistake."

"You don't have to tell me, sister." The girl looks away. It's the first time Skye's eyes haven't been fixed on her and May would gladly take the scrutiny over the look of bitterness that crosses the hacker's face. She knows that pain, has felt it reverberate deep inside of her. Until recently, she avoided attachment solely to safeguard from it.

"I guess this is why romance within the team is a bad idea," Skye concludes. "That, and in case one of you dies." It's an off hand comment but it strikes May deep because she has first hand experience with that too. When she speaks it's measured and calm but her grip on the yoke is turning her knuckles white.

"Feelings make it harder to compartmentalize. It makes things... Fuzzy."

"And you and Coulson? How fuzzy is that getting? I don't know what went on with you guys between Bahrain and Tahiti, but I don't want AC to get hurt."

Skye's right, she doesn't know what they went through to get here. She doesn't know the heartache on both sides, the grief, the anger. Or how close they came to losing each other. But even still there's something about the younger woman's loyalty to Phil that May finds endearing. It's something she can trust and so she tells her the truth:

"When I smile it's because I'm thinking about him. He's the first person I want to see when I wake up and the last person I want to see before I go to sleep."

"Love." Skye grins, her eyes bright. 

For a moment, May thinks she might hug her. "We don't live the sort of life for falling in love."

"Could have fooled me." Skye stands to leave. There's an obvious bounce in her step, and if anything her grin has only gotten wider. "And May? It suits you - all the smiling, I mean."

**

Phil laughs when she tells him about it that night. He's sprawled out on the couch, reading reports with his head in her lap and he laughs until there are tears in his eyes. His mirth spreads easily and she can feel herself start to grin down at him.

"So, I guess the secret's out."

"We didn't do a very good job of keeping it," he agrees, eyes shinning. "This explains all the side-eye I've been getting from her."

"She was very concerned about me hurting you." It's meant to sound casual, but she knows it won't fool him. 

He sits up so that they're face to face. "I'm sorry." Taking her hands in his, he kisses both of her palms. His lips leave her fingers tingling. "She's only starting to understand how fiercely you care about people."

How fiercely she cares about him, she thinks. Phil pulls her against him, kissing the top of her head. She winds her arms around him. 

"Do you think we are in over our heads?"

"Possibly." He shrugs from within her arms. "But I don't care."

"This is potentially dangerous territory and you're the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. You should probably care."

"I don't though," He insists. "May... Melinda, there is nothing that could make me not want this."

She reaches up to kiss him, smiling as their lips touch.

"Me too."


End file.
